OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Welcome to Outdoorking Forum HELP Area Introductions 1st Mower Project - Beginner

I gave the screws on my Tornado a spray of WD40 when I first got it new, and have topped it up now and again with a quick spray. They are still nice and new underneath the filth. If only every owner did that.

Youtube video showing the use of screw extractors. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHs9VGEuhxI

Hi Guys I tried a screw extractor, I think the screw is wedged in there or corroded or cross threaded or something as the bottom part still stuck and won't turn In the end I had to drill the top of the screw head and mangaged to get the cowling off without damaging the cowling too much but screw still in there. I think probably least of my troubles As recommended above took off the muffler and had a look at the piston, looks pretty scored and I think might be shot ??? I'm going to get a compression tester but I think it's stuffed. Have a look at the photos Have you guys even seen a Victa start with a piston this marked? Thanks

Bugger - that's completely stuffed

Chalk it up to experience - go get another

At least you have a good deck and wheels, carby and decomp valve for troubleshooting/parts

Doesn't look good so pull the head off and have a look at the bore. More good parts there Tyler, coil, ignition module, blade carrier might have good blades, pull start, easy fix, cut the screws flat with the top, drill them out and retap them to 1/4 whit and it will be good for another 20 years. Then from what I can see a pair of the handelbar folding bolts, they cost about $4 to buy. Then there is the rear axle bushes I cut down and use for the front bushes, there is another $4. No matter how bad one looks like on the side of the road I can usually see/get $15/$20 of parts straight away

YUCK..Definitely looks to be toast from being straight fueled. On the screw since it is steel in aluminum you would better off taking down to surface square, drilling it out and re-tapping but just what I would do here. I have little to no luck with screw extractors; unless, it is a screw that I broke by over tightening it. Just my opinion.

+1 to AVB on screw extractors. The tapered left hand spiral flute 'ezy out' type belong in the bin, IMHO.

If they don't strip out the hole in the screw, they break off, and you then have a very hard piece of steel wedged in the screw. Which is just about impossible to drill out, even with a tungsten carbide bit.

The only screw extractor types I have had any success with, are those with a parallel splined business end. These are available from automotive trade suppliers, but hard to find.

It is possible to chemically remove busted off steel screws/bolts from aluminium components [without any damage to the internal thread], but it's just not worth going to such lengths on a Victa!

Simpler to drill out, and re-tap to a larger size, or install a stainless coil insert [Heli-coil, Re-coil etc].

Thanks guys for the info, I'll have to slowly look around for a new mower with a decent powertorque engine. I'll have a crack at re-tapping down the track as currently don't have that tool

Just an update I've been rebuilding the carby on this mower as could use on this base with a new engine even if I never get this one going. I did get a gauge and check the compression, it only got 30 PSI I checked on my good Victa commando and it has 80 PSI compression and starts first go. Do you think a mower can even start with 30 PSI or is that way too low? Thanks

If it has been straight fueled it can still have some compression but it will never run, I probably have 50 PT motors here like that. I'm waiting for them all to disappear then these might be worth rebuilding and I can make a fortune as I will have the only 2 stroke motors left in Australia, then I woke up.

When they are straight fueled is it just the cyclinder walls and piston and rings that get scored and wrecked? ie if they have been straight fueled can you replace the piston, rings and home the cyclinder wall and they engine then works?

Once you start talking $90 for a rebore and there is very few places left that can do that, O/S piston and rings just forget it, millions of PT mowers still kicking around that still run.

Here's a photo with the head off of the cylinder walls, doesn't look too bad inside. What do you guys think?

They look like score marks on the cylinder walls or are they just oil tracks? The piston crown looks smooth.

When I run my finger over the cylinder walls it feels pretty smooth

Thats good, I'd take the piston out and remove the rings gently and decoke the ring grooves. Sometimes you find a ring stuck in on one side... It will run better , new head gaslet. speedy

Ted12, If Hawthorn is in Melb and you were feeling bored and you wanted to drive to Hampton Park I can give it a hone and a new set of rings in it if you want.

Hi Norm, I might take you up on the offer. I had a bit of a look online at honing and I had a go at honing once years ago at TAFE but I wasn't 100% sure how to do it.

Hi Ted Just send me a pm if you want to come over, I'm here most of the time